Saline of Trapani

The salt flats are a natuarale regional reserves of Sicily, established in 1995, which extends for nearly a thousand acres in the territories of Trapani and Paceco. Much of the reserve consists of salt pans of private property, which is still practiced in the extraction of salt according to traditional techniques in use for centuries. Significant impact on the landscape of the presence of numerous windmills used to pump water between the basins. In addition, the site is characterized by the fact of being one of the most important coastal wetlands of western Sicily that is home to numerous species of migratory birds rpotetti by the WWF. In his Sotira, the area underwent several domination including those Norman, Roman, Angevin and Aragonese. But it was, above all, under the dominion of the Spanish crown that its manufacturing activity peaked transforming the port of Trapani in the most important European center for the marketing of salt. Trapani Sea salt is now added to the list of traditional Sicilian food products recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, which in April 2011 has also recognized the IGP under the name “Sea Salt of Trapani.” In 2011 the salt pans of Trapani have gained recognition of wetland Ramsar, by decree of the Ministry of Environment. Among the characteristic windmills, today, is the Museum of Salt.e.